Howland agrees to new 7-year contract

LOS ANGELESUCLA basketball coach Ben Howland, already the highest-paid coach in school history, has agreed to terms on a new seven-year contract that runs through the 2013-14 season.

Howland, who was guaranteed $1.2 million this season, will get $1.5 million per season under the new contract and $2 million in the final year of the deal. The contract includes the incentive package from his previous deal, which has a maximum value of $235,000 for bonuses. Those incentives include winning the Pac-10 title outright ($25,000) and a national championship ($100,000).

"I'm just really happy and pleased and honored the way the university has treated me," Howland said. "I feel very lucky and fortunate to be where I am, to be working for UCLA. We have a great team. I'm very excited about the future.

"I think he (Athletic Director Dan Guerrero) and UCLA know this is where I want to be"

Under Howland, the Bruins have advanced to the Final Four the past two seasons. They lost to Florida in the final in 2006 and again to the Gators in a national semifinal last season.

Howland might be the highest-paid basketball coach in the Pac-10 — USC and Stanford, private schools, are not required to make salary information public.

Washington coach Lorenzo Romar recently signed an extension reportedly worth $1.105 million per year and could go as high as $1.505 million with bonuses. Arizona coach Lute Olson has a deal worth $1.055 million and reportedly could reach $1.42 million through incentives in the deal.

Nationally, however, Howland is well behind other established coaches. Ohio State last month gave Thad Matta an extension that is worth $2.5 million a year. Kentucky last year hired Billy Gillespie away from Texas A&M with a deal that paid him $2.3 million.

Howland said he is more concerned with the numbers on a scoreboard - winning basketball games.

"Only so many people wake up every day loving what they do. I'm just very blessed because I get to work with the best and brightest athletes," Howland said.

"I have a great staff. All the resources we have - we added a strength coach. We're fully staffed and fully funded. Our coaches are paid very competitively. I appreciate the support Dan has given our program."

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